World War 2 activity commenced in 1940 with
German raider attacks on phosphate ships on Ocean Island and Nauru. The first Japanese
attack also occurred on Ocean Island. Within hours on the surprise attack on the American
Naval Base at Pearl Harbour on 8th December 1941, a Japanese flying boat
arrived over Ocean Island and dropped five or six bombs. There were no casualties and no
damage to buildings but the next day three flying boats bombed the island and destroyed
the new Residency building, the machine shop and the B.P.C Manager's house. The Radio
Station on Ocean Island was the parent station for the Gilbert Islands Coastwatching
station and it was believed that the main purpose of the attack had been to silence this
Radio Station. However, the Station was undamaged and remained in operation until Japanese
forces landed and captured the Island.

The B.P.C. Residency
was bombed by the Japanese planes shortly after Pearl Harbour

The Australian and New Zealand Government had
evacuated all wives and children working for the BPC on Ocean Island in July 1941, in
anticipation of a coming war with Japan. At Ocean Island, the Australian merchant ships
Vito
and Kenilworth protected by the armed merchant cruiser H.M.A.S.
Westralia had arrived and collected the refugees without incidents. Then after the
attacks in December it was decided to proceed with the evacuation of all other Europeans.
The Central Pacific Islanders, Banabans, Gilbertese, and Tuvaluans were left behind as it
was believed that they would not suffer seriously if the Island was captured by the
Japanese. At the end of February 1942, the Free French destroyer La Triomphant
evacuated the Europeans from Ocean Island and Nauru.

On 24th August, Admiral Yamamoto,
Commander-In-Chief of the combined Japanese fleet, ordered the fourth fleet to capture
Abemama, Ocean Island and Nauru. Nine land-based attacked planes and one flying boat of
the 24th Air Flotilla, bombed Ocean Island on the 24th and during
the night, two destroyers, Ariake and Yugure shelled Ocean
Island. The Yugure landed her land-combat unit on Ocean Island on the 26th
August. On 1st September, a detachment from the 63rd Naval garrison
unit replaced the Yugure force as the Ocean Island occupation unit with
approximately 500 troops and 50 labourers.

A Japanese gun site at Ocean Island with three 6-inch

guns in strategic positions overlooking Home
Bay.

With the arrival with these occupation troops,
life for the islanders changed for the worse. A harsh rain of fear and force began as the
Japanese commenced a programme of fortifying the islands using slave labour. A Gilbert
Islander, Tikaouti Bonabati, comments on life on Ocean Island, under Japanese rule:

"It would be better to be a soldier than a
civilian prisoner. Soldiers have weapons and have a chance. We had no chance, we were
slaves. We were the same as pigs: we had no human rights."

The Japanese had occupied Ocean Island so as to
deny it to the Allies. The phosphate mining plant had been sabotaged by the B.P.C staff
and there was no attempt to recommence mining. The sole purpose of the Japanese occupation
appeared to be strategic. They quickly fortified the island, installing gun emplacement
and traps to oppose any landing. There was no harbour at Ocean Island and no attempt was
made to construct an airfield so the island became an isolated fortress of little
practical use to the Japanese.

To relieve the food shortage, Islanders were
shipped out even though there was grave danger that the ships might be attacked. The ships
travelled mostly during the night taking Banabans, Gilbertese and Tuvaluans to other
islands under Japanese control. Some, went to Nauru, others to Tarawa or to Kusaie in the
Caroline Islands. All women and children were removed from the Island and the Japanese
retained only approximately 150 of the young men to work for them in gardening, toddy
cutting and fishing. But in August 1945, after the Japanese surrender, all Islanders were
split into nine groups, marched to the cliffs over the sea, blindfolded and shot.

It was not possible to provide the names or exact
number of all those killed. One of the two names was a Gilbertese, Ueanteiti, the other a
Tuvaluan, *Falailiva. The only witness to the execution, Kabunare, related in his
statement:

"Falailiva was the first man to be tied and
was on my left. He said to me "Are you ready?" and I replied "Yes, I am
ready to die." Then Falailiva asked "You remember God?" and I replied
"Yes I remember"."

Soon after this Falailiva and the others were
shot and Kabunare very fortunately fell over the cliff unarmed.

The cliff where the
murders took place

When the Allies arrived at Ocean Island, they
found the Japanese to be the only occupants of the island and they were told that the
Islanders had all been evacuated. The truth was revealed when the sole survivor of the
massacre, Kabunare, a 28-year old Gilbertese man of Nikunau Island came out of hiding.
Untouched by the bullets he feigned death, then hid in a cave in the bush. For three
months he hid, venturing out under cover of darkness to search for food.

At first the Japanese were accused of murdering
the people of the island simply so that they could use all the scarce food and water
resources for themselves. As it became known that the execution had taken place after the
declaration of peace, it seemed more likely that it was the means of eliminating all
witnesses to other atrocities committed on the island.

Japanese soldiers being
evacuated from Ocean Island

The Commanding Officer, Lt. Commander Suzuki
Naoomi faced trial when war crimes trial were convened by the Australian military in
Rabaul, New Guinea, in April 1946. Suzuki, and a Junior Officer, Lt. Nara Yoshio, were
charged with the murder of two natives named, and certain natives unknown on Ocean Island
on or about 20th August 1945.

The Japanese Officers pleaded not guilty to the
murder charge, but both were found guilty and were sentenced to death by hanging. In a
petition, Suzuki accepted full responsibility for the killing and made a plea for leniency
for Nara, who he claimed had only been carrying out orders. Nara had his sentence commuted
to twenty-five years imprisonment; Suzuki's sentence was upheld and he was hanged.

Two young men from Nikunau who made history
at Ocean
Island by their bravery,

resource and endurance. To the left is Kabunare,
the sole
survivor of a massacre.

To the right is Nabetari, now quite recovered
from his
seven months canoe voyage.